Vote: NBA playoffs vs. Stanley Cup playoffs

Whether you're fighting off an Easter candy coma or just wish you didn't have to wear a winter coat in April, this should cheer you up: It's playoff season! The Blackhawks begin their chase for the Stanley Cup on Thursday, and the Bulls begin their quest for the NBA title in a few weeks.

So which is more exciting: the NBA playoffs or the Stanley Cup playoffs?

NBA

The NBA playoffs mean the Bulls, Derrick Rose and the forces of Good vs. the Heat, LeBron James and the forces of Evil. No matter how strong your Red Wings hatred, it can't compare with the Bulls standing in for the wishes and dreams of the rest of the world in an epic battle against the unholy trinity that tortured us all with its bragging and taunts before last season even started. Everyone hates the Heat! And there is no more important task than humiliating LeBron James. Help us, Derrick Rose (and Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng), you're our only hope!

The argument that tips the scales in favor of the Stanley Cup playoffs could begin and end with Jim Cornelison's stirring national anthem before every Blackhawks game at the United Center. But I won't be that lazy. It's also the fierce intensity, the raucous atmosphere and the do-or-die ramifications of every possession, shot on goal or clearing of the puck. One goal indeed can be the difference.